Deconstruction to Binary Oppositions of Postcolonialism Through the Characterizations of Black Maid and White Mistress in Stockett’S the Help
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI DECONSTRUCTION TO BINARY OPPOSITIONS OF POSTCOLONIALISM THROUGH THE CHARACTERIZATIONS OF BLACK MAID AND WHITE MISTRESS IN STOCKETT’S THE HELP AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters By INDIWARA PANDU WIDYANINGRUM Student Number: 144214130 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA 2018 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI DECONSTRUCTION TO BINARY OPPOSITIONS OF POSTCOLONIALISM THROUGH THE CHARACTERIZATIONS OF BLACK MAID AND WHITE MISTRESS IN STOCKETT’S THE HELP AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters By INDIWARA PANDU WIDYANINGRUM Student Number: 144214130 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA 2018 ii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI When people are determined, they can overcome everything. -Nelson Mandela- You are my strength when I am weak You are the treasure that I seek You are my all in all . -Nicole Nordeman- vii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI For My Beloved Parents, I Present This for you . viii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to dedicate my deepest gratitude to God for His blessings, I can finish this research. However, only with His unconditional love I can still keep going on. I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, M.Hum. for guiding and helping me to conduct this research. I am so grateful that he encourages me to give my best potential and be persistent during the process of making this research. I also would like to express my gratitude to co-advisor, A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D. for the revisions and suggestions that enrich my study. In this opportunity, I would like to express my gratitude to my parents and my families who never get tired to support me to finish this research. I thank them for trusting me when I doubt myself. My deep gratitude and love also be with Rityasiwi Gitarasika, Ima Bunga, Dea Yanudita and Fazlurahman Adi who have accompanied me through my ups and downs. I am so thankful because they keep reminding me that I am so much bigger than my fears. These 4 years in Sanata Dharma University have shaped me into the person I have become. I have gained lots of experiences and met with so many great people here. Therefore, for all the lecturers, friends and everyone who take parts in my growing process, I really thank each of you. Indiwara Pandu Widyaningrum. ix PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ....................................................................................................... ii APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ................................................................................................................ v STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ................................................................... vi MOTTO PAGE .................................................................................................... vii DEDICATION PAGE .......................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... x ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xii ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................ xiii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1 A. Background of the Study ............................................................................ 1 B. Problem Formulation ................................................................................. 4 C. Objectives of the Study .............................................................................. 5 D. Definition of Terms .................................................................................... 5 CHAPETER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................ 7 A. Review of Related Studies ......................................................................... 7 B. Review of Related Theories ....................................................................... 9 1. Theory of Character and Characterization ........................................... 9 2. Theory of Postcolonialism‘s Binary Opposition .................................. 11 3. Theory of Deconstruction .................................................................... 16 C. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................. 18 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 19 A. Object of the Study ..................................................................................... 19 x PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI B. Approach of the Study ............................................................................... 20 C. Method of the Study ................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS (RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS) ..................... 23 A. Binary Oppositions Contructed through the Characterizations of Black Maid and White Mistress.............................................................. 23 B. Deconstruction to Binary Oppositions Constructed through the Characterizations of Black Maid and White Mistress ...................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ........................................................................... 50 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 53 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 55 Appendix 1 ................................................................................................. 55 Appendix 2 ................................................................................................. 57 xi PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ABSTRACT WIDYANINGRUM, INDIWARA PANDU. (2018). Deconstruction to Binary Oppositions of Postcolonialism through the Characterizations of Black Maid and White Mistress in Stockett’s The Help. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma. Postcolonialism deals with the resistance of European power by criticizing Western thought. As a result of Western superiority, binary oppositions are constructed. Based on the novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett, the researcher analyses binary oppositions reflected from the characterizations of Black maid Aibileen and White mistress Miss Leefolt. White people are often described as superior and civilized. Meanwhile, Black people are described as inferior and uncivilized. It turns out that, those assumptions do not reflect the qualities of Aibileen and Miss Leefolt. The first objective of the research is to analyse binary oppositions through the characterizations of the Black maid Aibileen and the White mistress Miss Leefolt. The second objective is to discover how qualities of each character break the constructed binary oppositions. In order to conduct this research, the researcher applies postcolonial approach and some steps are done in this study. The first step is to have a close reading to the novel. The second step, the researcher examines binary opposition through the characterizations of each character. The third step is to analyse how deconstruction responds to the binary oppositions identified in the novel. Lastly, the researcher draws a conclusion from all of the discussions. From the characterizations, Miss Leefolt is described as dominant, wealthy, polite, uncaring, rude and perfectionist. On the other side, Aibileen is described as oppressed, poor, lack of education, impolite, nasty and generous. The binary oppositions between Aibileen and Miss Leefolt are: 1) superior and inferior; 2) civilized and uncivilized; 3) normal and exotic. The researcher finds that, there is a general assumption where Black often attaches to negative values while White attaches to positive values. However, deconstruction perspective sees different things. Aibileen also has significant roles. She is also superior and civilized in comparison to Miss Leefolt. Besides that, qualities of person are determined by what comes from the inside and it is not based on their skin color. Therefore, binary oppositions given to each of the character do not reflect who they really are. xii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ABSTRAK WIDYANINGRUM, INDIWARA PANDU. (2018). Deconstruction to Binary Oppositions of Postcolonialism through the Characterizations of Black Maid and White Mistress in Stockett’s The Help. Yogyakarta: Department